The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-07

eyes Of every American citizen; and as il lies at
the foundation of our development and progress,
1t is entitled, without affectation hypocrisy,
to the utmost regard. The standard of our
laborers' lives should not be measured by that
of any other country less favored, and they are
entitled to their full share of all our advan-
taRes.
By the last census it is made to ap-
pear that of the 1882, 099 of
our population engaged in all kinds of in
dustries, 1870 493 are employed in agriculture
4,074.2 3S in professional and personal service,
e. 934, SO of whom are domestic servants and
iaborersl, while $50, 256 are employed in trade
md transportation. and 3.S37.1l2 classed
employed in manufacturing and mining. For
present purposes, however, the last number
given should be considerably reduced. Without
attempting to enumerate all, il will be conceded
that there should be deducted from those which
it includes, 375. 143 carpenters and Joiners, 49,.
i72, 726 blacksmiths, 1884, tailors and tailor
ssses, 102.473 masons, rs, 741 butchers, II. 309
bakers %, 083 plasterers and 1891 engaged in
manufacturing agricultural implements. amount
Ing, in the aggregate. to PA 023. leaving 9. 623
o69 persons employed in such man
ufacturing Industries as are claimed
To these the appeal is made to save their
ployment and MAINTAIN their wages by resisting
change. There should be no disposition to
answer such suggestions by the allegation that
they are in q minority among those who labor.
and therefore should forego advantage, in
the interest of low prices, for the majority
the operation of tariff laws. should at all times
be scrupulously kept in view; and yet with
slight reflection, they will not overlook the fact
that they consumers with the rest; that
they too, have their own wants and those of their
families 20 supply from their earnings. and that
the price of the necssaries of life. well the
amount OF their wages, will regulate the meas
ure of their welfare and comfort. But the
duction of taxation demanded should be so
measured not to necessitate justify either
the loss Of employment by the work
ingman nor the lessening of his wages;
and the profits still remaining to the manu-
facturer, after necessary adjustment, should
furnish excuse for the sacrifice OF the inter
ests of his employees, either in their opportunity
TO work or in the diminutlon OF their compeusa-
ton. Nor can the worker in m anufactures fail
to understand that while high tariff is claimed
to be nesessary to allow the payment of re-
mum erative wages it certainly results in very
large increase in the price of nearly all sorts Of
manufactures. which. in almost countless forms,
he needs for the use of himself and his family.
He receives at the desk of his employer his
& wages, and perhaps before he reaches his home
is obliged, in a purchase for family use of an
article which embraces his own labor, to return,
the tariff permits, the hard-earned compensa-
tion of many days of toll. The farmer and the
agriculturisr, who manufacture nothing, but
who pay the increased price which the tariff i'm
upon all he wears, and upon all he
uses and owns, except the increase of
his hocks and herds, and such things as he
in his husbandry produces from the soil. is in
vited TO aid in maintaining the present situa-
ton; and he Is told that high duty i'm
ported wool is necessary for the benefit of those
who have sheep TO shear, in order that the price
of their wool may be increased. They, of
/ course, are not reminded that the farmer who
has no sheep is by this scheme obliged, in his
purchases of clothing and wooden goods, to pay
tribute TO his fellow-farmer, we'll to the
manufacturer and merchant; nor is any
tion made of the fact that the sheep-owners
themselves and their households, must
clothing and other articles manufactured
from the wool they sell at tariff prices, and thus,
81 %hcrn rha.4 IS -.
increased price to the tradesman. / think it
may ba fairly assumed that large proportion
of the sheep owned by the farmers throughout
the country are found in small focks, number
ing from twenty-five to fifty. The duty the
grade Of imported wool which these sheep
yield is 10 cents cents each pound, if of
twelve cents il of the value of more than thirty
cents II the liberal estimate of six pounds be
allowed for each fleece, the duty thereon would
be sixty or seventy-two-cents. and this may be
taken as the utmost enhancement of its price to
the farmer by reason Of this duty Eighteen
dollars would thus represent the increased price
of the wool from twenty-five sheep. and thirty
six dollars that from the wool of fifty Sheep and
at present values this addition would amount to
about one-thrd of its price If upon its sale the
farmer receives this or less tariff profit the
wool leaves his hands charged with precisely
that sum, which in all its changes will adhere
il until it reaches the consumer. When manu-
featured in 20 cloth and other goods and material
for use. its cost is not only increased to the
tent of the farmers tariff profit, but further
facturer under the operation Of other tariff
laws. In the meantime the day arrives
when the farmer finds it necessary to
purchase WOODEN goods and material to clothe
himself and family for the winter. When he
faces the tradesmen for that purpose he
discovers that he is obliged not only 20 return,
the wool he sold. and which then, perhaps,
lies before him in manufactured form, but that
he must add considerable sum thereto to meet
further Increase in cost caused by tariff duty
the manufacture Thus IN the end he is
aroused to the fact that he has paid upon mod
crate purchase. q result of the tariff scheme,
which, when he sold his wool seemed profta-
ble increase in price more than sufficient to
sweep away all the tariff profit be received upon
the wool he produced and sold. When the
number of farmers engaged in wool-raisine is
compared with all the farmers in the country.
and the small proportion they bear to our popu-
lation is considered: when it is made apparent
that, in the case of large part Of those who
sheep, the benefit of the present tariff on
wool is illusory; and, above all, when il must be
conceded that the increase of the cost of living
caused by such tariff becomes burden upon
those with moderate means and the poor the
employed and unemployed, the sick and well,
and the young and old, and that it constitutes
tax which, with relentless grasp, is fastened up
on the clothing of every man. woman and child
in the land. reasons are suggested why the re-
moval or reduction of this duty should be in
cluded in a revision of our tariff laws
In speaking OF the increased cost to the con-
sumner or our home manufacture resulting fl ON
duty laid upon imported articles of the same
description, the fact is not overlooked that COM
petition among domestic producers some-
times has the effect of keeping the price of their
products below the highest limit allowed by
such duty. But it is notorious that this compe-
tition too often strangled by combinations
quite prevalent at this time and frequently
called trusts, which have for their object the
regulation of the supply and price of commodi-
ties made and sold by members of the com bina-
ton. The people can hardly hope for any con-
sideration in the operation of these selfish
schemes. II, however. in the absence of such
combination a healthy and free competition re-
duces the price of any particular dutiabe article
of home production below the limit which it
might otherwise reach under our tariff laws,
and if, with such reduced price, its manufact-
continues to thrive. il is entirely evident
that thing has been discovered which
should be carefully scrutnized in effort to re-
duce taxation. The necessity of combination to
maintain the price of any commodity to the
tariff point furnishes proof that some one is
willing to accept lower prices for such commod-